Keeping an eye on resource usage helps you understand how your website behaves under load and whether it is close to hitting limits. Plesk provides a built-in resource usage panel that shows CPU usage, memory consumption, and other key metrics without requiring command-line access.
This information is commonly reviewed on environments managed through Plesk hosting where site performance and stability matter.
When Resource Monitoring Is Important
Checking resource usage is especially useful when:
- A website feels slow or unresponsive
- Errors appear during traffic spikes
- You want to verify whether current resources are sufficient
- You are planning an upgrade
Regular monitoring helps prevent unexpected service interruptions.
Opening the Resource Usage Panel
Step 1: Access resource usage
Log in to the Plesk control panel.
On the Plesk home screen, locate the right-hand sidebar and click Resource Usage.
[Screenshot: Plesk dashboard with Resource Usage icon]
After a short loading period, the resource usage dashboard appears.
Understanding the Status Messages
The dashboard displays a summary message based on recent activity:
- No issues in the past 24 hours means no limits were reached
- Limited in the past 24 hours indicates one or more resource limits were hit
- Might hit limits soon is a warning that usage is approaching configured limits
When limits are triggered or at risk, Plesk shows which resource is involved.
Viewing Detailed Usage Data
Step 2: Open detailed statistics
Click Details or switch to the Current Usage tab.
[Screenshot: Current Usage tab]
Graphs and tables display resource usage for the current day.
You can adjust:
- The timeframe to view a longer or shorter period
- The time unit to change how frequently data points are shown
This view helps identify short spikes versus sustained high usage.
Viewing Resource Snapshots
Step 3: Review snapshots
Switch to the Snapshot tab to see point-in-time usage data.
[Screenshot: Snapshot tab]
Depending on activity, snapshots may include:
- Running processes
- HTTP request information
You can navigate snapshots using arrow controls or select a specific date and snapshot from the dropdown lists.
Practical Notes
- Short spikes are often normal, sustained usage is more concerning
- Memory exhaustion can cause errors even if CPU usage is low
- Review resource usage before making configuration changes
If resource limits are reached frequently, scaling may be required. This is common for growing websites hosted on cloud servers or high-traffic projects running on dedicated server environments.